The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to the field of dry powder delivery devices, and more particularly, to methods and systems for controlled delivery of dry powder.
Inhalation of therapeutic aerosols or dry powder medicaments are an effective method of drug delivery, frequently applied to treat respiratory disease. Three leading types of inhalers are commonly used today: metered dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers, and nebulizers.
In a Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI), a solution is stored in a pressurized canister that contains a propellant. The canister is mounted to a hand-operated actuator having a mouthpiece and optionally a chamber. The user exhales, and then places the mouthpiece or the chamber in the mouth, actuating the device to inhale a fixed dose of medication in aerosol form.
A Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) inhaler delivers a medication in the form of a dry powder to the lungs. A measured quantity of medication is manually loaded into the inhaler prior to use, or pre-loaded inside the inhaler. The user inserts the inhaler mouthpiece into the mouth, takes a deep inhalation, and holds the breath for few seconds to allow the inhaled particles to settle onto the lung airways. Most DPI devices relay on the patient inhalation flow rate to transfer the powder from the device (as a gas suspension of solid particles), and to deagglomerate the powder into aerosol particles small enough to reach the lungs. An insufficient inhalation flow may result in an inadequate dose delivery and incomplete powder deagglomeration.
Nebulizers deliver drug in the form of aerosol. Compressed air is blasted through or near a liquid medicine to aerosolize it. The aerosol is then inhaled by the patient using a mouthpiece or a face mask. Some nebulizers use vibrating membranes instead of a compressor to produce the aerosol. Nebulizers are designed for a prolonged respiratory cycle drug delivery. While inhaling the aerosol medicaments, the user breathes in a normal rate for several minutes until the dose transfer is completed.
Dry powder inhalers as known in the art are exemplified in the following publications:                A U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0089299, to Bonney et al., entitled “Inhaler”.        A U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,454 to Hodson et al., and entitled “Dry Powder Inhalation Device”.        A U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/272763 to Dunne et al., and entitled “Dispensing Device, Storage Device and Method for Dispensing Powder”.        A U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/263151 to Hochrainer et al., and entitled “Powder Inhaler Having a Nozzle with a Plurality of Channels”.        A U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/029948 to Ingle et al., and entitled “Systems and Methods for Extracting Powders from Receptacles”.        A U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/087189 to Crockford et al., and entitled “Drug Delivery Apparatus”.        A U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/035143 to Sievers et al., and entitled “Human-Powered Dry Powder Inhaler and Dry Powder Inhaler Compositions”.        An International Patent Application Publication No. WO2002/005879 to Brand et al., and entitled “Medicament Dispenser”.        An International Patent Application Publication No. WO2011/077414 to Kaufmann et al., and entitled “Dry Powder Delivery Device and Method”.        
Additional background art includes: U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,116; U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,278; U.S. Pat. No. 7,458,373; U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,355; U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,867; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0095294; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0056276; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0079368; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0168057.
Also comprising background art are German Patent Publication No. 19502725 A1, relating to a pump dispenser unit for delivering a medium carried in a fluid from a holding zone; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0220106 A1, relating to a medication inhaler for concurrently delivering multiple doses of medications, including a medication delivery needle which penetrates the medication containers when the inhaler is actuated.